Resident Evil review for PS4, Xbox One, PC

I had forgotten just how much I enjoy the original Resident Evil, or at least the GameCube remake, until I put a few hours into this HD port on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. It’s such a fantastic game, and it’s remarkable how much the series has strayed from its roots at this point. The difference between Resident Evil and say, Resident Evil 6, is night and day. And while this HD version of the 2002 remake makes some adjustments for newer RE fans, it still remains very true to the original survival horror experience.

First things first, this HD version of Resident Evil looks absolutely fantastic. I’ve played on both PS4 and PC, and there are virtually no technical hiccups that I could notice. It’s easy enough to see that some work has been put into this port, not just uprezzing character models but also improving textures and backgrounds, really making it difficult to not look at this as a title built from the ground up for current gen consoles. There’s some minor giveaways, like compressed video here and there (the draining of the pool for instance), but you’ll find little at fault in the visual quality.

That’s also a testament to how great this game looked upon its original release in 2002. Even going back to that version now on GameCube, I’m still pretty amazed with the art style and detail poured into every nook and cranny of the Resident Evil mansion. But having all of that in crystal clear 1080p is a definite treat, and if you have any love for the series you’ll definitely want to check this version of the game out.

I’d say the audio side of Resident Evil has also been treated well in the transition to current gen. The soundtrack appears to be intact, of course incorporating the music from the GameCube remake over the PlayStation original. The same goes for the voiceover work, which I’m not nearly as fond of in the remake, but it’s not surprising that the overly campy PlayStation version isn’t present. I was also quickly reminded of how much I enjoyed the soundtrack, particularly that fantastic typewriter room music that sticks with you long after you’ve put the controller down.

[youtube_sc url=”http://youtu.be/ARm4ogqKJGg”]As far as changes, there’s a few worth mentioning. This HD version of the remake contains the option for widescreen play along with the original aspect ratio. Widescreen will crop the top and bottom while stretching out the image, which is disappointing but not entirely unexpected. There’s also a new optional control scheme that removes the series standard “tank” controls in favor a more intuitive analog input that’ll likely feel more comfortable for modern players. I switched between both and had no trouble adjusting to either, with some minor hiccups using the newer control scheme when switching between multiple camera angles quickly. The last change worth noting is the new, easier difficulty option, giving you three difficulties to choose from at the start of the game instead of just two. The easiest option is exactly that, and unless you’re just absolutely struggling I’d avoid it completely.

Basically, this is a really great port of an already excellent remake. It’s a perfect excuse to revisit the game if you haven’t played it in quite some time, and an excellent version to play if you’re new to Resident Evil in general. Despite being released over a decade ago, I think you’ll be surprised with just how modern the game manages to feel. It’s a pretty solid example of timeless game design, and well worth checking out.